


Checkmate

by StarryNightson



Series: Dark and Ethan [1]
Category: markiplier - Fandom, youtube - Fandom
Genre: All Platonic - Freeform, Alternate Universe, Coffee Shop, DarkCrankiplier in the end?, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, blank's name is blanc, coffee shop AU, fluff?, hah, kill me, not so evil dark, slight ethan/everyone else, slight mark/ethan, what
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-17
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2019-02-03 14:09:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12749874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarryNightson/pseuds/StarryNightson
Summary: Ethan is caught by Mark and Tyler as their target for their game called "who can charm him first"Blanc being himself finds out about their little game and tells Dark about it, who is very protective about Ethan.Stuff





	Checkmate

Ethan woke up to the sound of his alarm clock. 5:30, it read. He was a working student and desperately trying to pay his tuitions fees or else he'll have to drop out, but thank god today was Saturday, that means he had no school tomorrow...but work.

Ethan groaned before hitting the alarm clock to stop. He yawned and stared at the ceiling before getting out of bed. He did his usual routine; shower, get dressed, breakfast, brush teeth, go to school.

College is bullshit. Yes, that is what Ethan always say whenever something very pressuring come up, which is most of the time.  
He was thankful for Kathryn, though, she was his best friend. They were both film students so they struggle together.

"End my suffering," Ethan groaned, his face down on the lunch table he was sitting with Kathryn, and food already finished.

"Don't be selfish, you're not the only one," Kathryn rolled her eyes, taking the last bite of her sandwich. Ethan groaned once more and finally looked up at her.

When the day ended, the two met up just outside the building.  
"I need coffee, I have a shift tonight," Ethan said. Kathryn nodded and the two decided to get coffee. The coffee shop was just a few blocks away. It wasn't Starbucks, though, it was just a normal coffee pub. Starbucks is mainstream anyway.

 

When the two reached the shop, they were greeted by Ethan's friend from work.

  
"Hey, Blanc!" Ethan smiled at Blanc. Blanc was a stoic guy, seriously, his eyes are cold and blank. God, who knows what this guy is, but he doesn't harm anyone... unless they harm him, they'd be burnt. He is also mostly silent, for it was easier for him to observe and study people.

"Hello, Ethan," Blanc replied, in a dead tone.

  
"This is Kathryn, my friend," Kathryn smiled, said hi, and held out a hand. Blanc shook her hand and said it was nice to meet her.

"You alone?" Ethan continued. Blanc shook his head.

"No, I'm with Dark," Blanc replied and pointed his thumb to Dark who was ordering tea.

As the three settled for a table. Ethan decided to order coffee for him and Kathryn. He left to two to talk and all that, and went to surprise Dark.

Dark was also another friend but not from work. He and Dark were living for a few while when Dark happens to crashland in Ethan's backyard. Dark was badly wounded and, yes, he fell from the sky or whatever. He had to cover up a story to the police that there was nothing or anything that landed in his backyard. The police were convinced otherwise. After Dark regained full energy, he went away, but he still checks on Ethan every once in a while.

"Don't even think about it, Blue," Dark said. Ethan pouted behind him and clear his throat. His plan failed.

"It's good to see you too, De,"

"What are you doing?" Asked the blue boy. Without facing Ethan, Dark ordered the blue boy's favorite. "Ordering your coffee,"  
Dark paid for it when it was handed to him. He gave it to Ethan who was smiling wide, eyes sparkling. Ethan hugged him before taking the coffee and said a thank you. The two then walked to the table Blanc and Katheryn were in.

  
"What caught your eye, Mark?" Tyler whispered to Mark. He already knew who Mark was looking at. It was the blue-haired boy beside the one in a suit. "Is it blue boy?" Mark hummed then finally turned to Tyler, who was smiling. Mark smirked and said, "His name's Ethan," With this, Tyler's smile grew.

The two likes to compete in a game of 'who can charm _who_  first' whenever they find someone cute or attractive, but it ends horribly. It'd be all sweet and soft at first, so the person would keep coming back until they learned they were being joked, the person would stop coming by, possibly heartbroken.

Amy, who was looking at the two, glared at them. "Don't," she said, only earning an innocent smile from the two. They were definitely planning something.

 

The next day, Ethan came by the coffee shop alone. Kathryn was still sleeping since she barely had any sleep yesterday, Blanc's shift is tonight so he's possibly locked himself inside his house, and Dark was...god knows where.

When Mark saw the blue-haired boy, who looks around the shop, he quickly composed himself. It was time to woo the boy.

"How may I help you?" He said in his *cough* sexy *cough* voice. Ethan looked up at him and coughed before ordering. After handing his drink, Mark winked at the blue boy, which made Ethan almost melt. The brunet was handsome, 's not his fault.  
Mark smirked at Tyler who was glaring at him. The competition has begun and may the most charming one win. The next time Ethan came around, Tyler took the order and gave him his charming smiled, in which Ethan confusingly smiled back. The third time he came around, the two were pushing each other that Amy had to take his order.

Around the 5th time, Kathryn was with him. When she saw Amy, the two girls quickly shared a hug and started chit-chatting, which left Ethan to order his coffee alone.  
This time, Mark drew a heart on the coffee cup, which made Ethan blush. When he looked at Mark, the red hed was smiling.

After some time of Ethan visiting the shop over and over again, Mark and Tyler's game went up. Tyler would give him free pastries, sometimes Mark would get him a free drink. But as he keeps coming back, the three started to get to know each other. Ethan started talking about his work, school. They joked around. And the two still didn't stop flirting with the poor blue boy, and Ethan was starting to fall...hard.

When Kathryn knew about Mark and Tyler's little plan, via Amy, she tried to drop hints to Ethan, who was slow in catching up. She told him about her two friends who liked to play around, but Ethan didn't jump to conclusions, maybe he was wrong.

 

"You two need to stop," Amy approached her co-workers, looking at the blue boy leaving the shop. "It's been weeks, a month even," But the two were silent and continued their works. Amy sighed, she didn't want the poor boy's heart to break. "You have to tell him,"  
  
Mark sighed and stopped his work. "It's hard,"

"That's what you always say,"

"...it's harder? He's soft and...," Tyler sighed as well. Ethan was too precious.

"Exactly!" Amy raised her voice a bit, but the shop wasn't so busy, there was merely anyone at the moment, and that frosted-haired guy who looked like Ethan except he was too cold to care. The two did try to flirt with Mr. I'm-dead-inside but he just shot them a cold glare that made them stop.

"Ethan's too nice. He talks and asks about us, he jokes, he stays for a while even though he's late for his shift or school," Mark added. He looked at the tip jar that had 25 dollars from Ethan as a thank you for the free coffees and pastries he'd been receiving. "We both really like him. And if we tell him, he might...you know, never come back," Amy sighed and shook her head.

"Tell Ethan the truth. He has to know,"  
Mark and Tyler decided to tell Ethan the next he comes back. Their plan was going downhill again, kinda like the others. Ethan's never gonna come back and they're going to lose something precious.

Blanc, who was listening to their conversation, chatted Kathryn and Dark via laptop. Blanc may be emotionless but Ethan was his friend, and it was rare for him to call someone a friend. First off, after Mark and Tyler's attempt to woo him, he'd been suspicious about them. He noticed the two flirting with Ethan the second time Ethan came by the shop. He was there, reading a book so he can relax, and the coffee shop was cold and he can freely stay there all day. After their little chat, the three friends had a plan of their own.

  
  
Ethan was at home, typing something away on his laptop when his phone rang. Dark's name was on the screen so he quickly answered the video call.

"De! What's up?" Ethan smiled and waved.

"I was thinking if we could get coffee tomorrow at the coffee shop you often go," Dark tried to smile without looking like a murderer. Ethan saw he struggled and chuckled.

"Sure! Also, stop,"

"I'll pick you up at 8 am,"

"Alright,"  
Dark hang up first and sent a text to Blanc who also then sent a message to Kathryn. They were planning to surprise Ethan, Mark, and Tyler, and Dark had a big role in it. He wasn't embarrassed to do it anyway. He and Ethan grew close when the blue boy took care of him for 6 months, and right now, he's not allowing anyone to break his precious boy's heart, not on his watch.

5 minutes before 8, Dark's ride was already parked outside Ethan's apartment. He was well dressed, as usual, black suit and red tie. While Ethan was wearing a normal blue hoodie, white t-shirt, jeans, and blue sneakers.  
Blanc and Kathryn went first to the coffee shop, as a signal for Mark and Tyler that Ethan was coming.

Outside the shop, Dark opened the passenger's seat for Ethan and offered out his arm for the boy to hold. Ethan was confused, but he held on. Dark opened the door for him and let him in first. Dark's acting kind of off, but he shrugged. It's been a long time since they've actually hung out, maybe he's just trying to be nice.

Mark and Tyler saw Dark with Ethan, going all gentleman and all. They also noticed Blanc and Kathryn on a table 'talking'. The two braced themselves when Dark and Ethan finally entered the shop.

"Hey, guys!" Ethan greeted them. He still didn't notice Blanc and Kathryn which was good, they were observing, though.

"Hello, I'd like black tea, please, and his usual coffee for him," Dark said. Ethan looked at him and to Mark who was currently at the counter, Tyler behind him, and Amy on the far side. He sheepishly smiled at them.

"This is--"

"I'm Damien, his boyfriend," Dark calmly said, using his alias. Ethan snapped his attention to Dark who was currently examining Mark and Tyler. Mark's mouth hung open and Tyler nearly jumped doing his work.

"De, what-"

"Come on, let's join the others while they make our orders," Dark kissed Ethan's temple and led him to Blanc and Kathryn's table. The blue boy was completely shocked. Dark just identified himself as Ethan's _boyfriend_ in front of Mark and Tyler, whom he was crushing for some time now, and then suddenly Kath and Blanc were here.

"Boyfriend?" Tyler mumbled to Mark. The two worked on the orders, also shocked. How were they supposed to tell Ethan that they've been messing with him now that his boyfriend, that was intimidating, by the way, is here. They're gonna get their ass kicked for this. They composed themselves and maybe they can excuse Ethan and talk to him later. Tyler brought them their orders and gave Ethan a napkin with a note on it.

 _Please read later!_ it says written in a red ink. Ethan took the napkin and looked at Tyler.

"Guy, what's going on?" Ethan whispered to his friends once Tyler was back on the counter. Blanc passed him a note and continued reading his book.

_They're messing with you_

"What?" Then Blanc wrote and passed him another, rolling his white eyes.

_Talk to them! Those flirtings, they're playing with your feelings!_

"Excuse me?" Blanc shut his book and started to open his mouth. Dark cleared his throat and texted Ethan something. Blanc closed his eyes and opened his book again. Kathryn excused herself and went to find Amy.

 _Don't hurt yourself._ Was what Dark texted but he said something different. "So, I saw this excellent restaurant, I thought maybe we could have dinner there,"

 _What are you all trying to say_ he texted back. "Sure, I mean, you really like these posh restaurants, might as well have to try it,"

 _They're messing with you, Blue, you should talk to them later about this. We'll tell you about this 'boyfriend' thing later too, I promise._ Dark replied. "Excuse me, I have to go to the lavatory," He excused.

Ethan looked at the frost-haired boy next to him. Blanc was too invested in his book, he thinks, so he opened the napkin and read;

_Sorry, this is on a napkin, and sorry it'll have to be short. While we're doing apologies, sorry for not telling you sooner that Mark and I are kinda competing on who can charm you first. I'm not gonna waste napkin explaining too much, but you need to know that we both like and care about you a lot. We don't want you to get the wrong idea. I know it's... Unconventional, but there wasn't anything we didn't mean, I promise. Can we talk later?_

 

"So that, that was all a joke?" Ethan scoffed. "It must be pretty funny, huh,"

"Ethan," Mark tried. Tyler was not with him at the moment and Ethan, he looked like he was about to cry.

"...You break hearts often?" The blue boy asked, not bothering to meet Mark's eyes. It was too much. He was thankful for Dark for posing as his boyfriend.

"Eth, it's not like that,"

"Don't... call me that,"

"We're sorry, okay, I guess...I guess it's up to you now."

Ethan scoffed once more and finally meet Mark's eyes. "Yeah...goodbye, Mark," With that Ethan left. He jogged back to the shop. Dark who was waiting for him was pacing around the shop, cracking his knuckles. Blanc already left because _the tension is too much to handle, I'm gonna lock myself in my room, just call when you need_ me... When Ethan emerged from the door, the blue boy was crying. Dark quickly wrapped his arm around the boy as he cried on his chest. He brought him to away from people to let him cry. Dark was humming a random tune as Ethan clung to him tightly. He kissed his hair and continued humming. He was gonna kill a bitch later...or maybe not. Maybe he'll bring him around town, maybe watch a movie, shop with him, then go to their dinner date. Yes, he was serious about dinner, he knew this was going to happen.

"I'm so dense," Ethan whispered. He tried to wipe away his tears, he didn't want more trouble on Dark's suit.

"No you're, not. Maybe slow, but not dense," Dark whispered back. Ethan chuckled sadly.

"I'm sorry I stained your suit," He pulled his face away and looked down. He still hasn't let go of Dark yet, he didn't want to.

"It's alright," Dark caressed his face and kissed the blue boy's forehead. Ethan smiled as Dark pulled him back to  
the hug.

Tyler, Amy, Kathryn, and Mark were watching the two. Tyler and Mark's heart broke but it was their fault anyway. Amy and Kathryn let out a loving sigh.

Dark took Ethan to his favorite places after the bullshit that happened, and they had the dinner.  
Ethan still goes to the coffee shop, but now, he was usually accompanied by Blanc, Dark, or Kathryn, but usually Dark.

 


End file.
